I spotted this set advertised on an insert with the INTERMISSION disc (MGM). It includes his first three features: GATES OF HEAVEN ('78), VERNON, FLORIDA ('81) and THE THIN BLUE LINE ('88), three of the best docs ever, IMO. (Also forthcoming: Errol Morris' "First Person": The Complete Series, which I haven't seen.) The advert says "coming soon." Anyone have further information?

BTW, a footnote, with mixed emotions: While Mobius was offline, I discovered that David Harris was finally executed last June. The official notice is here:

http://www.txexecutions.org/reports/323.asp

If this is old news to Mobians, apologies.

m.

Great news for Morris fans! I still have not seen VERNON, FLORIDA so I can't wait to find out more info on this set (I search but couldn't find a thing). The "First Person" series is very interesting, very similar to FAST, CHEAP AND OUT OF CONTROL with its examination of unusual subjects.

I recently found out about David Harris as well. THE THIN BLUE LINE was on cable recently and I got caught up in my love for the film (once again). While looking up the various people in it, I found out that Harris was executed in June. Like you said, it definitely leaves one with mixed emotions. I wonder if Morris will ever do a follow up, or is his relationship with Randall Adams still too volitale?

>I wonder if Morris will ever do a follow up, or is his relationship with Randall Adams still too volitale?

I don't know what kind of relationship, if any, Morris-Adams have at present -- I'm not sure I ever understood the conflict -- but I'd almost like to see a feature doc on the life and death of Harris, a very interesting (if finally, as adjudicated, malignant) character. There's a tantalizing glimpse of a difficult childhood/adolescence in TTRL.

m.

Interesting, this is the first I've heard of these long-awaited titles coming to DVD. Without even seeing the blurb, I can easily suspect that this is the work of IFC Films, the same good souls who helped get the early John Sayles films reissued.

The former Drexel North Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, hosted what I think was the last cordial meeting for Randall Adams and Erroll Morris. Adams was a Columbus native, and the theatre had played the movie for a long engagement, so a special one-time "reunion" screening was set up, and reportedly everything was wonderful.

I believe the conflict between Adams and Morris was a lawyer-instigated play for cash, something along the lines of Adams suing for a share of the profits from THE THIN BLUE LINE. It's sad that this happened, but somehow I'm not surprised. Adams was in jail for so long that when he found himself free, he certainly needed money. And BLUE LINE was a big hit, and it was his story. Morris probably didn't have a plan to help funnel profits to Adams because at the time all seemed hopeless to get him out, and I think the "Son of Sam" law had just started, so he wouldn't be able to get them anyhow. A good lawyer certainly could convince Adams that everybody else had "deep pockets" and they could be soaked for more money. I think Art Buchwald was suing Paramount at the time over COMING TO AMERICA, so Hollywood lawsuits were probably in vogue at the time.

I never heard how it got resolved.

According to Errol Morris's site, all three films and First Person are coming in February, 2005.
By the way, if you haven't seen it, the first DVD of First Person (the Rick Rosner episode) has already been released and is available through Amazon. The disc features outtakes with interview clips that didn't make the episode (which, I imagine, had strict running time limitations).
Now, all that's left is A Brief History of Time!